This Brief focuses on youth who engage in sexually harmful behavior and how they transition back into public schools after serving time in a juvenile detention center or treatment facility. The Brief examines the difference between normal sexual behaviors and sexually harmful behaviors and provides an overview of the theories of sexual offending. It also compares youth who sexually harm to other deviant groups; assesses intragroup similarities and differences; and reviews child and family risk factors. In addition, it provides a summary of prevention programs for all students and for those who are at risk to sexually re-offend. Finally, the Brief illustrates how a youth who has engaged in sexually harmful behavior could potentially transition back into school and discusses the school's role in treatment.Sexually Harmful Youth: Successful Reintegration to Schoolis an essential resource for researchers, professionals, and graduate students in child and school psychology, social work, and public health. About the Authors: Christy A. Mulligan, Psy.D., is an Assistant Professor and Coordinator of the School Psychology Program at Long Island University- Brooklyn. Prior to academia, Dr. Mulligan was a practicing school psychologist in Pennsylvania for seven years and provided psychological evaluations and services to children from 3-21 years old. While practicing in Pennsylvania she pursued her doctorate at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) where she earned her Psy.D in School Psychology. Dr. Mulligan matched with an APPIC/APA accredited clinical internship at NYU Lutheran, in Brooklyn, New York. It was here that she completed a rigorous forensic rotation where she provided psychological evaluations as well as individual and group therapy to juvenile sex offenders. Dr. Mulligan has presented on the topic of sexually harmful youth, at both state and national school psychology conferences and most recently at the 2016 International School Psychology Association's annual conference at the University of Amsterdam. She has also consulted programmatically with a juvenile sex offender treatment program in NYC. Her other research interests include selective mutism, outcomes assessment, and identity in twin-ship. Justin Ayoub, M.S. Ed., is the School Psychologist at South Bronx Classical Charter School III in the Bronx, New York. He graduated from Long Island University-Brooklyn with a Masters of Science in Education in School Psychology and is currently pursuing a Doctorate in School-Community Psychology at Hofstra University. He is also an adjunct instructor at Long Island University-Brooklyn. Callen E. Kostelnik, Psy.D., received her doctorate in School Psychology at the University at Albany in 2011 and became a Licensed Psychologist in 2012. Since her graduation, Dr. Kostelnik has served on the faculty at Alfred University and has completed psychosexual risk assessments and expert court testimony for the New York State Office of Mental Health. Dr. Kostelnik is currently a faculty member in the Division of School Psychology at the University at Albany. She supervises second year students completing practicum and third year students completing internship and field placement. She has also taught courses in social-emotional assessment, psychotherapy, and social psychology. Dr. Kostelnik's major research interests include parental involvement in education, juvenile sex offenders, resiliency, and training issues in school psychology. |
